Dressed for succession: What Kim Ju Ae's outfits tell us about North Korea

Dressed for succession: What Kim Ju Ae's outfits tell us about North Korea2 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSangmi HanBBC News Korean, SeoulWatch: What do a teenager's clothes tell us about North Korea's future?In November 2022, a photo emerged of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with a smartly-dressed young girl by his side - his daughter Ju Ae.Strolling alongside her father in front of a towering intercontinental ballistic missile, she wore black trousers and a white padded jacket with her long hair tied back.Making her debut in state propaganda - she was reportedly just nine years old at the time - Ju Ae was already dressed to impress. Since then her hairstyles have become more elaborate, her attire increasingly elegant and sophisticated. South Korea's spy agency believes that Kim Jong Un has chosen her as his successor, given her rising prominence at such a young age.Ju Ae, now 13, has been increasingly photographed with her father, standing next to him at missile launches and military parades and even accompanying him on overseas trips.But some analysts believe that her fashion - leathers, furs, and a "rooster" hairstyle - are also signs that she is being groomed to lead the country.ReutersA photograph of Kim Ju Ae's first official appearance, with Kim Jong Un, and an intercontinental ballistic missile, was released on 19 November 2022Ju Ae's outfits are likely to be dictated by the government's Propaganda and Agitation Department.At times, she has been seen dressed in formal suits and skirts, resembling her mother Ri Sol Ju."As Ju Ae is still very young, her age could be seen as a potential weakness for a future leader. It appears the regime is dressing her in formal outfits similar to those worn by her mother as a way to mask her youth and project a more mature image," Sejong Institute deputy director Cheong Seong-chang tells BBC Korean.At other times, she has worn leather jackets, "clothi...